Vette a longshot chance

Finn Vette lies third in the under-16 boys' standings, giving him an outsider's chance of winning his division of the Billabong Grom Series this weekend. File picture

GISBORNE surfer Finn Vette is being tipped as having an outsider's chance of taking his division of the Billabong Grom Series this weekend.

Six titles are on the line at the final event of the series, seing surfed today and tomorrow at Piha Beach, Auckland.

Vette lies third in the under-16 boys' standings, behind series leader Jayden Willoughby and Kora Cooper, both of Raglan.

Another Raglan surfer, Navryn Malone, lies fourth, and Te Kauwhata Kauwhata, of Sandy Bay, lies fifth.

The u16 boys' division is the most hotly contested of the six titles, with the top five surfers all having a chance of coming through to win the series on the last day.

Vette is regarded as the form surfer of the division this summer and pundits feel he could snatch the series title with a big performance this weekend.

Conditions could be conducive to a special performance, with a forecast 1.5-metre swell and onshore winds expected to challenge competitors.

The young surfers could be inspired by the presence of 1999 world champion Mark Occhilupo and current Championship Tour surfer Ryan Callinan, who are in New Zealand on a promotional tour and will be at the finals tomorrow.

In the other divisions, Luis Southerwood (Whakatane) leads the u18 boys after two wins from two events.

Tao Mouldey (Mt Maunganui) leads the u14 boys' rankings.

In the girls' competition, Gisborne's Asia Braithwaite lies equal-third (with Anna Brock of Mt Maunganui) in an u16 field led by Natasha Gouldsbury (Taranaki), with Liv Haysom (Piha) second.

Georgia Wederell (Mt Maunganui) leads the u18 division, while Chloe Groube (Pauanui) leads the u14s.